April's thoughts about writing, life, and junk food

Links

Books

My theory is I am getting all of the crappy stuff out of the way this last quarter of the year so that I can have a great 2014. All of it's been personal stuff, not writing stuff.

First there was hitting those dogs when the homeless kids let go of their leashes.

Then my mom dying.

Then there was this past week. Monday I went for a 5-mile run. Halfway through, this badly bruised shin I got from a shin clash in kung fu three weeks earlier started aching. Then really throbbing. By the end I was limping. In the afternoon, it seemed swollen and red. I thought it might have been a blood clot.

Tuesday I went to Urgent Care and ended up in the ER where they did an ultrasound (negative) and hung IV antibiotics and diagnosed cellulitis.

Wednesday was Christmas and everyone was closed.

Thursday I was at my doctor's. My leg did not seem to be getting any better. She switched up antibiotics.

Friday I felt pretty good. My leg seemed to be getting better and I had more energy. My husband and I decided to go to Pok-Pok, this famous Portland place that usually has huge lines. He was already in the neighborhood having a beer at this place he likes. The plan was I would park near there and he would drive us both to Pok Pok, about 20 blocks away.

I get there, see his car parked on this nice empty stretch of street and decide I'll park in front of him. Only there was a tow truck about 20 feet ahead of him that seemed to be leaving.

I go around in a big square, come back, and the empty stretch is even emptier - Randy's car is gone! It turns out that even though the sign says 2-hour parking, there's another sign above it (turned at a slightly different angle) that says "No parking 4-6 pm M-F."

Since I have just parked there, I need to move my car before I'm in the same spot. I get in my car, go around the corner, and there's the tow truck, adjusting something on Randy's car. There's a tow fee plus a parking ticket I told Randy his beer better have been really good, since it cost $250.

That night, my leg situation goes downhill. Saturday was another day of UCC and ER, only it ended up with being hospitalized.

The only other time I've been in the hospital was to have a baby. Now I'm getting IV antibiotics every 12 hours. It's hard to sleep. I'm pretty much the only person on this ward without dementia/detox/psych issues and a bed alarm, which means it sounds like a truck backing up all night. With the occasional break to trick you into thinking it's finally stopped. Another patient on this floor is making this terrible noise like a tortured sheep - "maa, maa, maa." There's the one with a sort of sleep apnea snore, the one who kept throwing up and groaning, and then the time the nurse down the hall was saying, "Let go of that! Let go! Let go!" and then calling out "Can someone help me?" You would think they would have better soundproofing at a hospital.